Monday, January 21, 2013

Le temps des cerises

“Le temps des cerises is a song written in France in 1866, with words by Jean-Baptiste Clément and music by Antoine Renard. The song is strongly associated with the Paris Commune. It is believed to be dedicated by the writer to a nurse who was killed in the Semaine Sanglante (Bloody Week) when French government troops overthrew the commune.”

When we will sing the time of cherries
And gay nightingale, and mocking blackbird
Will all be celebrating!
The beauties will have folly in the head
And lovers have sun in the heart.
When we will sing the time of cherries,
He will better whistle, the mocking blackbird.

But it is rather short, the time of cherries,
When we go together dreamily picking
Pendant earrings,
Cherries of love, similar to the robes,
Falling under the leaves like drops of blood.
But it is rather short, the time of cherries,
Coral earrings we pick in a dream.

When we will be in the time of cherries,
If you are afraid of love's sorrows,
Avoid the beauties!
Me, who do not fear cruel pains,
I will not live without suffering one day.
When you will be in the time of cherries,
You too will know love's sorrows.

I will always love the time of cherries !
It is from this time that I have to the heart
An open wound.
And Dame Fortune, being offered to me,
Will never know how to calm my suffering.
I will always love the time of cherries
And the memory I keep in my heart.